As The Wind Fades
by mushibesta
Summary: When Talim almost lost her life to dominant forces, Yun-Seong created an oath that vowed of not ever seeing her in peril again. But a heavy burden had fallen on the relationship of both travelers. And its name was Tira. Rated T for safety and implied TiraXTalim. As ever, please leave review if you can.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:**** So welcome to my newest fic. I get bored really quick and I miss those two, like, a lot. So why not?**

**Please don't misunderstand. Although it's implied yuri included, it is only implied. You can either see it as a real tight friendship between both girls or a straight lesbian relationship. If you are a perv (like me) I believe you would rather see it as the latter. Also notice that Tira is not included in this chapter, so if you want to see your favorite psychotic emo girl, you'll have to wait for the next chapter.**

**Anyway, let's cut the crap already and enjoy the first chapter, following with Yun-Seong's POV. **

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"Talim? You ok? Can you stand?"

No answer. Akin to uncountable times, her restless body pressed against the rough soil, her sealed eyes a clear proof her outside contact had been awfully cut off. My hands reached for the motionless corpse as if the human contact would provoke a spontaneous reaction within her. As my fears dictated, Talim remained immobile, cold like a decayed shell. The melodious wind itself manifested over the priestess's apparent loss, increasing its magnitude considerably, freezing coils becoming more recurrent as I hold the delicate body with my hands. Most of the people would find this touching: The living wind, an indestructible and impulsive Nature force which capricious behavior could be the maker of terrible catastrophes, was uncovering it's most passionate surface as the growing loops of breeze embodied the tears of the apparent loss of its most holy soul. But for me, who witnessed this scene countless times, I began to found it rather annoying.

"C'mon Talim! Darn it, snap out of it!"

I easily panicked. The bleak carcass that my hands held represented a grave flaw on my will. Darn it, how many times I told you to stop doing such extreme things, Talim? When you will learn to control this careless that drives you? When you will learn to place your life in front of others'? Only a polished mind could add the times I told you this tale but it seems your waywardness can easily exceed mine. And I trust, you, of all people, are familiar with the difficulty of accomplish such task.

"Talim, please, I know you can hear to all my selfish pleads like you already did so many times. Please, please, I don't ask more from you than the fulfillment of one, just one of those stupid and self-interested demands: Wake up. Wake up only once more. Wake up so you can tell me you plan to do one more of these ill rituals so I will have the authority to offer you a hard, rigid slap with the aim of washing you away of all those suicidal methods. Wake up this time and I guarantee you that I don't have to wake you any longer."

My well-known willful accent was weakening into a succession of soft and murmured sobs. My single, small and fragile piece of hope was slowly turning into ghostly anguish as I felt my fingers running cold from the contact with the priestess's most likely already passed away corpse. My body implored me to relieve a tear but, barely resisting its distressed order, I did not seize to its will. I always knew that, independently from the rigidity of the situation, heroes were never allowed to cry. Or so I have been told. Because, right now, I'm pretty sure I can't be declared the personification of heroism as I always dreamed of. It sure feels…ironic to say at least. The term 'heroism' invades my mind and, along with it, came the picture of Hwang. I recall the times in the edge of my innocent adolescence whenhe walked into the town, Blue Thunder firmly gripped in his hand, victorious ofhis most recent task on an unyielding and unfamiliar world. People from all the town immediately halted their mundane daily chores and gathered around Hwang, older men giving him soft pats on his shoulder and congratulating him for his triumph, kind women crying in joy for his return for he was like a son to them, and vivid children continuously leaping in happiness around the man parents used as a role model for their kids. In sudden seconds, Hwang was the core of everyone's attention and I, the indistinct onlooker - trailing off my eyes from a considerable distance to the crowd surrounding Hwang's shape - felt an uncontrolled flame in my heart burning with sudden desire of turning into an enhanced version of the veteran journeyer. I can't clearly remind what I felt when the blaze build within me but I can safely assume it sailed between respect and envy.

"_Why can't you be just like him?" _ I remember Seong Mi-Na mocking me behind my side with a nonchalant tone, unaware that the impact of her teases only served to soar up my flame higher.

In fact, amid Hwang's constant travelling tasks and Seong Mi-Na's excessive use of taunt upon me, my blaze finally burst out, directing to a fierce impulse that lead me to pinch the Seong's family relic, a broadsword by the name of White Storm. It is a beautiful weapon slightly curved on the bladed section, worthy of the skillful and proud, thus my savior on many occasions while on my current undeserving possession. With the blade in my submission and carrying a few supplies I managed myself out of hard labor, I headed out for the exit of my land on a shifty, starless night. My sword skill might not be the brightest handle Seong Han Myeong has ever laid his wise eyes upon but what I lacked in swordplay I'd outstand in my sneak attributes and my clever and strong legs made for acrobatics.

I would like to say the conflict that had been brewing out between my homeland of Korea and Japan - as I told Talim - would serve as a factor for my careless behavior of self-exile but declaring such only would imply a lying expression on my character. Although I obviously hold sorrow on the situation that had been shed upon my country, I can openly admit I'm not a patriot. It sounds plainly selfish as it is supposed to sound, but I rather keep on my behalf than naively dying for my nation. My sole aim was Hwang. And so I wandered land and sea seeking for Soul Edge, the demonic soul devourer claymore not even Hwang could dare to contact with. With no kind of leads at my disposition and retaining the same adventuring knowledge of a blind mole venturing on the exterior environment, I rumbled world aimlessly with the two only companions that joined me on my quest: White Storm and the same sudden impulse that persuaded me into snatch it. Sure, it may seem too extensive for a human urge, but it is actually amazing how long an impulse's length can stretch.

Mine, for instance, has lived so long until Talim's body was set loosely set on my arms, my futile efforts of bringing her to conscience only granting me a more desperate and pathetic appearance. The wind itself joined me in my agony, its violent loops increasing massively to the point of forming few cuts on my naked arms, as if it was manifesting anger towards me and blaming me for the imperil state of the priestess. I've lowered my face to shelter myself from the fury of the wind, noticing few seconds after that my expression was awfully close and barely brushing Talim's. She loomed a tranquil, clean minded look, and combined with her natural tender and caring expression, Talim held an accurate and truthful personification of a fallen angel. If not by the critical scenario that has been installed, I would stand truly stunned and bewildered by the priestess's beauty. I could add to my small list of achievements that I held an angel with my arms.

If I was panicking few seconds ago then I was absolutely terrified at the moment. Talim's body ran gradually frozen on the border of my fingers. I remembered previous times when she performed those sorts of rituals in other several occasions. Usually, Talim only ended with a shallow and harmless fade away at worst, its duration not longing more than one minute. However, this time she had knocked on the floor quite hard and couldn't help but experience a sinister and wicked air after the priestess's head smashed onto the floor. I've could been at the peak of my ignorance regarding Talim's spiritualist readings but I was not foolish enough to be oblivious of the fact these rituals were, at minimum, danger for her sake. It was only a matter of time when she would be truly at harm and apparently that moment decided to make its venomous welcome today.

Hope vanished to oblivion. Her eyes shut, my hands shivering, the wind relentless…

As fast its turmoil had started, I set my gaze above and found the wind suddenly soothed , an abrupt change that seemed rather utterly odd and wrong considering the danger the priestess was at. Then I motioned my face low and found Talim's round, beautiful eyes open. I was about to leapt in joy when I noticed she wasn't eyeing to anything in particular. In fact, she wasn't eyeing at all. Talim was wearing an expression of blankness, completely absent of the outside world. What was supposed to be her brown orbits had turned into a pair of white, empty gems, turning her into nothing more than a motionless, soulless doll. Still, the wind remained peaceful and relaxed, soft breezing coils filling the surrounding air as the storm that occurred few seconds before never thundered in the first place, which meant the risk the priestess had put herself into had come to a cease. It may sound highly unusual that a force of nature has knowledge over the welfare of a human being, but every time I contradicted the wind's opinion I was always drawn into mistake. Talim's was probably undergoing on a harmless breakdown, the kind she usually suffers when things end up remotely good. And so, I joined the wind on its soothed status, although I found it didn't quite amused my companionship as a sudden strong cut of wind brushed onto my face, leaving me dazed for a few seconds.

Talim eventually turned into her living state, although it took some significant minutes to happen so. For someone who barely surpassed the risk of being engulfed in an eternal slumber, she reacted quite well, looking less than mildly shocked, although I believe the reason of her small distress resided on the fact she encountered herself drowning on my arms. I managed to relieve a small chuckle which she responded with a weak, almost opposed smile.

"Whoa, Tal. I hope this sleep has brought you a load of ease and joy." I joked stupidly, beaming my best grin that exposed my white teeth. Later I will regret this juvenile comment, but right now my happiness was at compulsion, making no room available for humiliation.

As I half-expected, the young but sage girl did not correspond enthusiastically to my joy, weariness and dullness numbing her out, forcing her to shut her eyes and free an exhausted sigh. "I believe our time for ease and joy will be settling down for a long time before we even have a chance to grasp it, Yun-Seong."

Talim slowly opened her right hand, revealing what appeared to be a hard, shining scrap of metal. That scrap previously radiated a thick purple mist, pure evil materialized into fog and poisoning the surrounding airs. The outcome of this mist was not by itself entirely wicked; it emitted, nonetheless, a nauseous and revolting scent that created a discomfort on my stomach. Plus, it was not only my stomach that was at uneasiness. That kind of fragment could bind the bravest man's will, by either cringing him in his worst fears, leaving in a feeble state of dubiousness and terror or, by far the worst possibility, driving him into a state of sheer greed, cursing him into nothing but a poor victim of his own hunger and those near to him. Although only those two hit my mind, there are seas of malice one could experience under the possession of such shard. The most recommended and obvious choice to perform was its destruction but doing so it's no effortless task. Talim's current condition shaped a clear proof. Although the only scar she kept from the spiritualist battle was a sore but harmless weariness, the injuries she could bent were far deeper that any physical weapon could execute. There was, however, another crucial use for the shard. As a piece of Soul Edge, the scrap it is not entirely composed of malevolence. It held blurred memories of those the blade consumed. Talim's actions not only obliterated the shard but also saved some of those reminiscences into her own memory. With those memories at hand we've been able to track down the flow of movement in Soul Edge's evolution.

But the tales the priestess told me of the holding of those shards always remained nothing but a vague theory. When confronted with my successive inquiries about the past she saw, Talim's answers proved to be odd, unsatisfactory and purely empty. Her conclusions didn't seem to go much far then the difference between watching and observing or the methods we absentmindedly practiced angered the wind.

"_Those who solely aim for they own desires have been consumed in their own obviousness. Those were the ones who've been just watching, not observing. And we've been just watching for far too long." _

"_A mere cut in the air by a blade, a battle brewing by the necessity of its contests._ _These kind of ill- actions are the reason for the anger of the Wind. And we've been angering the Wind for far too long."_

Eventually, I grew weary of Talim's metaphorical responses, realizing I would afford better answers if asked a mute being. Nevertheless, despite the mystical and seemingly nonsense answers she granted me, Talim's accuracy always proved to be faithful. In many occasion, our inexperience in journeying grew to surface, confirming how awful the travelers we were. If not by Talim's readings, we would turn to frail, scared kittens on a brutalizing world.

That didn't eliminate the fact, by all sorts, that was reluctant of the priestess's actions. Today it has been the edge of the knife. I rather throw her in a bout against three ruthless brutes three times her size than seeing her practicing this kind of reckless deed again. It could greatly benefit the world's health but it surely didn't benefit hers. Talim may know a myriad of sage matters for someone so young but one thing she has yet to learn is how to conserve her own fresh life. So I brusquely took possession of the fragment set loosely on the palm of her hand and dived it in the depths of my pocket before she pulled out another ill-advised use for the same fragment that almost took away her life.

"What are you doing?" The wind priestess questioned, displeasure obvious on her voice.

"I'm taking this away from you before you kill yourself." I said, riposting in the same icy tone she casted upon me.

"It's restored. It no longer poses any kind of possible threat."

"That's what you said countless times before. Maybe five, maybe ten, maybe even hundred, hell I don't care. Not more one word you can say about this," I held the darken shard right affront her eyes "will convince me otherwise. Not after what happen today. I'll keep this with me before you kill yourself."

"You are well aware that those were completely different objects. You are hotheaded; you're not even trying to make any sense."

I knew well that my sense was flawed. People always remarked me for my strange temper; I tended to display my rightness and truthfulness in the wrong ways and arguments. And this time I knew I was damn right. But then again, it was my temper flaring. I struggled hard, but I found no reason why should I make sense. Talim and I were in a constant contest of headstrongness and today I was achieving for nothing but victory.

"And why should I try to gather sense? It's you who should try that out because only a outbreed halfwit would do something stupid like you did this day!"

Before I could realize, my voice had already turned into a furious scream. I had crossed the line and I knew it. I spat those venomous words like she was only concerning herself. But characterizing Talim as selfish was the gravest error one could dare to mistake. Not one time, even on the 'do or die' situations, I found the priestess doing deeds that could benefit her health, her sanity or simply her amusement. I have yet to know how she could vow an oath of judgment to the world - which in some degrees it could be purely ingrate, treacherous and scornful – while blinded of her own welfare. This is a trait of hers I should admire, respect and even envy but I can't be drawn to that when she is trying to save a world sometimes is not even worthy of salvation, let alone her consideration.

"Look Tal, I am terribly sorry," I began, struggling against my anger and trying to wear my best apologetic tone "but it would hurt too much if you share a quarter of your care for everyone and everything to your own? When will you learn that big part of the scum roaming out there free do not deserve your concern?"

Talim permitted a grand wave of silence to fill in, as if she were putting something in thought to reply. She still laid on my arms, making me wonder if she was indeed comfortable or just too wearied out to stand up.

"I guess that's something I can't afford to learn, Yun-Seong. It was just the way I was raised: Everything that breathes deserves respect. "She said breaking the silence. Her voice didn't carry a burden of anger, anxiousness or anguish. Just shallow exhaustion that was confirmed by a subsequent sigh she freed.

"A bullying man threatening to kill a row of children out of sheer joy. Does he too deserve respect just because he draws breath?"

"Yes." She immediately responded, the sureness on her voice startling me.

"Yes?"

"Well, respect may not be the most justifiable term. Pity, perhaps?"

"Why would you feel pity for someone who deserves none?"

"Someone who would perform such dreadfulness would be, at minus, disturbed."

"Look, just tell me why you chose to keep the shard instead of getting rid of it." I avertedly changed the subject, realizing we would fall to vagueness if we carried on.

As she was sheltered by a sudden aura of energy, Talim leapt out of my arms and landed onto yielding soil, making a soft bump on the clean grass. The abrupt manner she exited my upper limbs built a swift freezing feeling upon my spine, as I if was harshly stripped out of my clothes. She paced a few steps out of my reach, her hands crossed behind her rear. She was behind to me so I could not face her expression; however I could clearly imagine it: A stern mixture of sagacity and distress one so young should not undergo.

"As I stated previously, the shard not longer holds danger, thus, no reason for its eradication."

Before I even had a chance to protest, Talim cut me with the flat of her hand.

"However, that not symbolizes the main reason for its spare. You know, I saw a… thing I would like to keep. "

I remained with my ears attentive. The priestess was not corresponding to her nature. Every word she spattered was hiding sadness, depression and agony. Whatever she had foreseen was paining her to an internal scar which dimension I could not imagine. I fought the urge of requesting the outcome of her vision.

"Besides; I can't explain, but something tells me I'll be safer with it." She said turning to me, revealing a surprising soft smile. This time, her tune didn't shell any negativism; just the simplest smile only a fifteen year old girl could beam.

I scooped for the ground and found Talim's bladed tonfas resting limply on the soft grass. I grappled both, each one with its respective hand, and realized only the priestess's hands were small and graceful enough to clench such complex and elegant weapons.

"You'll be safer with _those._" I said, handing her deadly belongings with rudeness. She eyed me with a pleading look, her brown orbits shining and demanding for something else. "And no, don't give me that look. You need to do more than look helluva cute to convince me otherwise. That may have worked in the past but it no longer thrive its effect. "

At this, Talim manifested an almost inaudible indifferent mumble to herself "I was not trying to look cute…"

"Course you weren't. After all, you're a natural, aren't you?"

At my rather suggestive comment, I was expecting the priestess to express some insecurity, maybe a modest shade of red forming on her cheeks; yet she just greeted me with the same idle look she used when analyzing supplies at the nearest available market. The fact of being comparable with a gathering of well-conserved aliments ached my heart a bit but then again, it was something I should be used to by this time.

"Anyway, Yun-Seong, I'm afraid we don't have time for idle chat. I've been enlightened on the next route of our journey." Talim stated, her sweet tone turned severe. "We're destined to a remote local; Ostreinhusberg Castle, an aged but sturdy structure situated in Europe."

I found my spirit in spontaneous anxiety. A kind of anxiety I've been long itching to feel again. Danger. Thrill. But mainly, a seldom chance to exhibit my skill and will. I didn't require knowledge of the kernel in Talim's visions – I was happy being a blind follower. The only aspect I should be aware of was the strictness on her voice; stricter meant bigger challenge. So I liked strict.

"I must say though: The Wind surrounding that castle seemed sickened, revolted and horrified. Precaution it's a necessary aptitude if we're planning on the lengthening our journey. Are you ready?"

Then were no more words to be spared. I must admit I wasn't ready, but I was young, excited and an outright idiot, a deadly trio that granted me the confidence to pressure onwards. So by sea, we travelled to western lands.

One last thing I would like state regarding our travel was the gap that enlarged and grew hollowed on my relationship with Talim. On previous ventures, we had a bond, not a sternly intimate one, but a bond nonetheless. Our travels were constantly filled with joy and laughter, features that permitted us to confront the harsh darkness of the world with a light heart. Now, however, since the day she almost faded from this world, the priestess spent most of her time on the darkened void below our deck of our travelling ship. When 90 percent of her time didn't lay on that, the others 10 percent rested on a blank look penetrating the vast sea. A blank look that seemed empty on surface actually burdened with a deep sadness and cosmic pity. The only words we exchanged were the daily good mornings and nights. Whatever she had seen that day was hurting her deeply.

I, for once, had made a decision. The dilemma on her heart remained on whatever resided on that castle. Independently from what would turn, it had to go away for good. And by any means necessary. I felt a vengeful flood flowing through my spine. No one would cause harm to Talim and get away with it.

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**Lastly, if you like this tell. Well, if you don't, tell me either. I have to reconsider if I'll do a second chapter since my last fic was met with 0 feedback. So your opinion is vital. Also, if you spot any grammar issue in this, go hard on me and punish me for it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Ok, I forget to do this in the previous chapter:**

**I DO NOT OWN SOUL CALIBUR NOR ANYTHING RELATED WITH IT. NAMCO DOES.**

**And this is yet another Yun-Seong POV. Don't worry, Talim will be next. **

One of my most prominent and admirable feats that I'm smugly aware of possess was the fact that I was difficultly overwhelmed. Well, maybe only prominentand admirable before situations that required a sharp blade (or tongue), a straightforward reaction and a positive attitude, nevertheless, it was something I had in me that deserved, at least, a courteous bow of a graceful lady. However, when we were confronted with the ancient, rustic and yet, stable and solid structure of imperative darkness encircled only by the frigid wilderness of imposing trees and starved wolves, I knew the witty resolve I had bounded on my soul wouldn't serve me much as it did on previous situations. The outer walls of the colossal stronghold known as Ostrheinsburg were simply the most daunting thing I had the chance to glimpse on my life. Maybe it was the riddling assumptions of the vast existence of that peculiar structure. Maybe it was my vision that wasn't familiar with the outlandish characteristics of the European architecture. Maybe it was the fact that a potentially once elegant castle did not fit the wilderness which it was bounded to. Emerging theories cropping out of my blazed hair, but independently from the outcome, one thing was relative to all of those ideas – that castle scared the crap out of me. Clearly, though, the obscure shape of Ostrheinsburg was not the sole factor for my insecurity – it was whatsoever that rested inside of the sinister structure. Consecutively, the uncertain scenario installed on the large building was the same that almost granted Talim's death – a distressing circumstance that had occurred and only served to increase my hesitancy. Matter-of-factly, the wind priestess and I were sharing a mutual sentiment of dread for we both knew in seconds we would have to rush into the castle, and we both knew the result of whatever was going to flow inside it, it wouldn't turn into the prettiest thing of our lives. Talim knew it for obvious reasons – she had been the protagonist of an identical situation regarding the wicked stronghold. She remained motionless on both feet with her eyes sealed and her hands joined together sheltering her lips, muttering an unreadable prayer to the wind, an act she would only dare to perform if she was met with utter uncertainty. Although faintly, I managed to decipher some terms that she meekly uttered that could've been translated to something akin to _may the Wind be on our back_ and, more curiously, _may the Goddess bring mercy to that poor girl's soul_. Enthralled on my doubt, I thought my fear was deceiving me of her words. I decided to put my best quality to good use, an attribute of mine Talim and even Mi-Na once praised, my natural optimistic surface. I placed my hand on her shoulder, striking a short startle within her as she gave a small jump, but as soon she turned back to face my motivating smile, she found her assurance a tad restored as I transferred belief that I actually didn't have into her.

"C'mon then, what's with the blabbering? You've always said we shouldn't invoke the wind's aid due to its 'sacred existence' and such while you're doing bluntly that. You're failing me, Tal."´ I said with a joyful tone, yet semi-aware I was potentially touching subjects I couldn't ever understand. Her next answer would confirm if she would tolerate my implication of the wind as a harmless typical joke of mine or a straight offense of Mother Nature.

"Yun-Seong… I just don't know it anymore." Talim admitted, the uneasiness on her voice making no space available for any of both options.

"Well neither do I."

"I have… We have to accomplish something here. The achievement of my vision resides here for us both. But I'm scared, Yun-Seong. When actually confronted with the situation, everything I have been willing to believe in just seems bland and empty."

"Hey come on. I've got your back, you've got mine's, like always. I'm not bland and empty and neither are you. If your beliefs fail you then at least you can count on me. "

For the first time in months, I've been rewarded with one of the sweetest and sincerest gifts only Talim could award me with: her smile. The simplest slightly curved line formed on the lips of the purest being in the whole wide world was undoubtedly the best treat I could breed. It was the same smile she used on the rare occasions my witless resolution actually managed to raise something of valor. The same smile she first used on the fateful day we met. It was simply her smile and the fact of belonging to her made it into the most unique and truthful smile in this inner dimension.

"Thank you, Yun-Seong."

No matter how hard I tried to resist against it, I let slip a robust grin that somehow seemed to carry a modest portion of humiliation. Next, a rhythmic progression of garbled giggles was being clumsily disposed out of my lips as I scratched the back of my head with eccentric violence and a hasty hand; a weird ritual I performed when I felt I was being unnecessarily valorized, successively leading to a colossal feeling of proud. Despite the oddity of my movement, Talim reacted without fright, nervousness or vulgar curiosity of what the hell was wrong with me. Strangely enough, indifferent eyes seemed more uncomfortable than a hysterical mocking laugh. I have yet to uncover how I managed to direct an inspiring speech that led to the Talim's will restoration. I guess I just used my fear and hers as a stimulator. Either way, it certainly worked as we both didn't felt the dreadfulness of Ostrheinsburg walls so intimidating.

We spent precious seconds staring at the sturdy structure under the orange night sky tainted with vague features of dark. The reason of why remained unknown for us both. The strange painting that had been formed on the flat above us matched perfectly with contour of the dim castle. With unspecific reason, I inquired the wind priestess with a doubt that had been plaguing my mind for too long; despite the fact that the answer resided on the ancient stronghold right on my front.

"Talim, why you brought us here? More specifically, what drove you here?"

Before my question, Talim replied with the elegant indifference she didn't seem aware of possess.

"We have to end a thing unsolved."

"I meant concretely, Talim; the concrete deed that will help us on our journey or something to that effect."

Again, the same nonchalant tone which I found beautiful and annoying at the same time; although this instant it tried to hide a tangible touch of sadness.

"Look, instead of standing here looking around idly, why don't we enter the castle?"

Not exactly the concrete answer I was eager of, but one that satisfied my curiosity nonetheless.

So in a fast pace, we've reached the timbered entrance with horizontal metallic tiers in a matter of minutes. I placed the palm of my hand on the surface of the wooden door and then proceeded to give a couple of soft knocks on it. A heavy door that was stiff as it seemed, indeed. A row of kicks wouldn't be enough to crack this open. It was my chance to bright. Making use of my articulated limbs, I would climb the solid structure with the expertness a clever cat would envy, always with my fluid set of eyes aware for any structure weakness that would permit my way inside while Talim had no chance but being left dumped on the entrance as she had to patiently remain unmoved waiting for my starring moment to end.

"It appears this door is free of locks. Let's make haste inside, Yun-Seong."

Or maybe the next time, consider the possibility of the entrance being left unlocked before summoning attempts that cored on my futile heroism. I freed a great, frustrated sigh that even remained mysterious to the wind priestess.

With weapons brandished vigilantly for any possible threat, we made our way into the lobby hall. The idea of using torches for proper conduct within the castle was immediately scrapped for we found the vast hall strangely well-illuminated with chaliced candles shining on the darker corners of the room. The fact of the structure being correctly lighted abruptly removed my initial idea of the dark, decayed stronghold inhabited by its dread lord and its deformed, monstrous servants. In fact, the room did not only presented luxurious attendance but as well ostentatious adornments- from the dining table to the pair of thrones situated on the center of the room , passing through the great red carpet and the numerous metallic, lifeless knights standing on the edges of the hall - truly and only worthy of the highest royalty. While its outer shell beamed of dimness, Ostrheinsburg inner proved to be on a cozy level only adaptable by the greatest families, I thought. While I was stupefied by the opulence I wasn't expecting, Talim's astonishment seemed aimed to another relic – one that transpired of evil.

"Yun-Seong!"

Amid my puzzlement, I failed to notice a shimmering purpled mist targeted by the priestess's finger. Talim rushed into the violet fog at incredible speed as I stumbled following her track, trying to keep at her pace.

"Talim! Settle down a bit! What's with the hurr-"

The essence of that mist found us both idiotically amazed with our mouths and minds wide agape. I had to rub my eyes innumerous times, but the living, scooping eye situated on the surface of the claymore was not deceiving my vision. Soul Edge. Standing forward at my dazed eyes. Radiated by the purpled glee that stunned my brain, I struggled to decide if should feel ecstasy of disgust.

I reached out for it with my hand, oblivious of Talim's warnings. But as soon I was about to feel my skin against it, the blade vanished out of thin air.

Before I could recollect the dazzling previous five seconds, a loud, insane, maniacal and unusual childish laugh shake the whole structure. Fiercer by the second, lunacy on its purest state, the paradox of giggles enervated me for two reasons: First, I felt like a stupid kid falling on a stupid prank of a stupid bully; second, its origin resided on a female voice, I didn't know why but infuriated me. The laugh longed on and forth, never-ending waves of pure madness resounding on nearby air. I examined every extremity of the hall, claiming the heart of the apparent psychotic amusement. But while I was looking for the answer, the answer looked up for me instead as an unknown force rushed at me from the top of the ceiling with uncanny strength. I barely managed to use White Storm to block the ambushing attempt of murderer, staggering me to five or six steps backwards. It was easy to suppress the dusty cloud formed by the impact of the assault, the identity of the assaulter, however, was a lot harder to swallow – a young woman. A skinny, young girl (maybe a year or two younger than my premature eighteen), was the author of a fierce attack that could very well have sliced my head in two identical formats had not I dissipated it away. She stood dirty and disheveled, her crippled attire consisting of a strange outfit feathered of red and green that exposed grand part of her skin. Her hairstyle emerged as a set of large, loose brown pigtails. Skinned dark-browned gloves and boots covered her hands and feet respectively. Her weapon definitely ranked as something out of the ordinary; never before I had seen an artifact that intrigued me so much when it came to design: The layout of a circular hoop, a giant ring entirely bladed on its format with three slightly arched ends. Using that thing effectively must have cost that girl years of practice. I was eager to find out the proper use of that encumbering and inflexible instrument and, frankly, I was bound to find out anyway. Although her twisted outline and weapon were serious contestants of the weirdest things I've ever saw, that honor was destined to her expression; her violet wide eyes fixed onto my very body and a sadistic grin that sheltered half of her face, composed the demented picture that was her expression. Concluding, it was safe to assume the upsetting girl didn't match the sumptuous inner of Ostrheinsburg; although the same couldn't be said of its decayed shell; maybe it was the reason that drew this wild creature into such place.

"Unexpected guests? At this time of the year? How long it has been anyway? Please, please, make yourselves at home. It has been too long since I've seen a new face around here. I love to see new faces; makes me forget how the old ones can so easily leave you. No, no I insist, please don't leave now; we can have lots of fun together."

Her voice was vibrant, vividly disconcerting due to the unusual childish tone that seemed to carry a sadistic joyfulness: The last piece of the puzzle that completed the set of maniacal, insane character she was visibly transmitting.

"I see you have fallen on the prank the master has left. Don't you worry about that, many of them did anyway. The master is of the playful kind, we've been playing hide and seek for quite a bit of time and he wasn't able to find me yet. I guess I'm a pretty good hider, don't you think so? "

Discomfort start to build within my body. Her superficially innocent, playful tone shielded an evident attempt of intimidation. I brought up White Storm to a defensive stance as she paced a few steps on my direction. Talim's eyes were widened as I never seen them before.

"Would you like to play too? We have a spot very special for our guests to hide. It's so good for hiding that nobody else have seen them again. Poor fellas, they probably want to be found out soon. They were starting to get bored so it was better for them to take a nap. Yes, a long, deep nap."

This young woman's dementia seemed to affect Talim to a great extent. The wind priestess was sinking to her knees, her entire body shivering at the constant spasms she was forced to bear. Her aforementioned widen eyes extended to even greater dimensions. Her bladed tonfas were dropped loosely on the ground as she drove her small hands towards her mouth. Although the existence of tears was absent, the sore sound of sobs filled the surrounding air.

"Talim?! The hell?!"

"It's… her…"

I exchanged confused looks back and forth between the pair of girls disturbed of different behaviors and for different reasons. Then I took a long, disgusted glare at the wilder of them and I felt the previous uneasiness developing into grand, danger anger.

"Whatever you're doing to her, you'll stop it right now before I'll whip that smirk outta of your face, you little…"

Whatever I said must've held something hilariously funny, for the second the words left my lips, the girl liberated a long, hard laugh that silenced everything near. Obviously, I didn't uncover the amusement on the situation. The only thing I discovered was my anger flaming fiercer.

"My, my." She began as soon her breath was restored "What a guest you are! Straightforward to the play, just the way I like! Tell you what, instead of chasing ghosts, why don't we just jump to the fun part?"

For some reason, Talim joined her hands together and whispered a prayer that sang tales of mercy and clemency. Apparently, this wild girl's bizarre behavior was enough to toss the wind priestess into heart of fright – she was very sensitive to those things. Basically, Tailm was useless right now.

So apparently it was all up to me. Fortune had enlightened me with a test of my determination and tossing it away it would prove more than foolish. The time to cross blades had finally encountered us. So the first thing to do was to gallantly speak the first corny phrase that crossed my mind. What could a modest dose of showoff hurt anyway?

"Embracer of evil, daughter of destruction, prepare yourself." I slowly said, directing the peak, curved point of White Storm towards the disturbed woman. I gotta admit that seemed a lot better on my head. Oh well, no more unique way to start a battle than a clumsy, shameful mock of a brainless-looking youngster.

Obviously, my opponent wasn't the pinnacle of brightness either. During quiet seconds, the feathered-dressed girl did nothing more but to look at me with an impassive, dim expression. I noticed the fact that the dark look wasn't minding the destabilized girl right on my side, fixated in me and only me. I tried to put my severest of looks, but the gloominess of her violet eyes easily outmatched my stern but shallow glance.

And the, out of thin air, she let go an amused, resounding laugh.

"Ha, ha! You're a funny one!"

This girl's out of common behavior was affecting me to some extent. It may sound weird, but this girl's mixed comportment of joy and madness was causing me much more insecurity than a vulgar message like '_I'll rip your head off and tweak your body apart' _would ever do. The girl had some peculiarity in her that went much far than the insane image she was transmitting.

"I just hope you keep in high spirits when we're getting through this." She said, lancing at me with stunning speed the moment she dropped her last word, her shape not visible due to the uncanny nature of her attack, adding the second time I have been overwhelmed by the girl's ambush. Somehow, I hardly managed to shun the gigantic ring blade aside, but instead of recoiling as I half-heartedly expected, the wild girl maintained her offense as a chain of rapid, blurred strikes were willing to tear apart my stance. Any doubt regarding the efficacy of the massive, unusual weapon was instantaneously eliminated as I struggled to keep my balance while shielding myself of the incredible swift, practically invisible strikes wielded by the same instrument which I previously thought of unusable. Nevertheless, while her rhythmic pattern of strikes, thrusts and slashes seemed unyielding at jumping conclusions, it can actually be discernible if one is to remain cool. I have stated before that I was hardly overwhelmed. While it is a great responsibility to claim a skill, it is much more of a duty to actually prove it. So I cleared my mind of all issues and tension that was being tormented with (despite the risk of having my head cleanly cut off) and I managed to discover the core behind her hits. In fact, it was quite a simplistic dance. The girl's incessantly attack could be distinguished into three segments; the first was a lucid, horizontal cut aimed above the torso that would straightforwardly decapitate any fool who wouldn't mind to duck; the second one was a tad more difficult to detect, though: an unorthodox slash targeting the foot of the opponent; the motion her body had to perform this was really harsh, almost twitching herself into a Z form; the third motion was, by far, the most easily perceived as the ring blade rammed on a violent, vertical slice capable of ripping the most resilient metal into two but due to its slow nature, its chance to hit were poor. Independently, these moves were weak and easily readable, but when joined together in quick execution, they certainly completed their tool of tiring the opponent. Randomly, her movements would slightly change, but the nucleus remained the same and was clear as water: penetrate the enemy's defenses with moves that seemed unreadable and unpredictable; they were none of these two for me now. My retaliation was set: her cycle restarted once again and I did the most obvious on the first part of it, a swift crouch; when her ring blade was millimeters away of touching my ankle, however, it's where I disrupted her fluid set of movements – instead of charging away from the loose blade, I risked for a audacious leapt and landed right on the surface of the ringed tool. The girl was left powerless and practically glued to the floor before I proceeded to land a hard, bold side kick aimed to her shocked expression. The impact of my foot landing on her face (which I'm completely aware of its brutalism) was strong enough to project her a significant distance away as her body jerked uncontrollably while on air. Her body slammed viciously on the nearest stone wall, a gush of blood pouring down her mouth due to the brutal crash. I gave an examining glance at the inactive corpse; it wasn't moving nor didn't show any sign of doing so. It was first time I had hit a woman with such boldness, but blaming to the circumstances I've been forced into, I believe it was the best thing to do. The achievement of this victory had me struck with a wave of smugness.

"Ah! These skills? It's all talent!"

Being enveloped in bravado proved to be the last mistake I infringed in a long time. Despite her struggle to rise again, the girl was not defeated; in fact, she was stretches away from loss. As she stumbled towards my direction, her posture revealed major changes; bad changes. Instead of the childish grin, she gritted her teeth in distasteful rage. The gracious, playful steps in which she previously paced were replaced for something that couldn't be described as a walk, but instead as a forced prone that obligated her to proceed forward no mattering how bad her injuries were, like a wild animal deeding out of survival. Instead of cheerfully rotating her ring blade idly with maneuvering of her forefinger, she now slammed it consecutively against the soil with force enough to scar the ground with hollowed stripes. These significant alterations in her behavior left me more than slightly shocked and all of them spoke that I was for a very bad scenario.

"You little maggot…DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEE!"

Charging in a speed twice as it was usual from her (and her usual was incredible fast), the girl smashed her weapon successively against my own. The elegance, refinement and caution that were clearly perceptible in her previous set of movements were not anywhere to be seen in the careless, ferocious and practically inhuman thrusts that threatened to shun White Storm away of my weary hands. I attempted for a read of her moves, but her furiousness proved to be illegible. This simply was not the same girl that made innocent comments with a shade of murdering; she was now one-hundred percent killing machine. I was being overwhelmed and I knew it as drops of sweat poured down of my forehead with the blur glimpse of something thick thundering at me ceaselessly. The roars she casually growled sounded nothing alike to the cheerful tone she used when we first faced out. Her pressure was simply too much for my grip. Barely enduring the animalistic attack, White Storm was at last discarded away, the resonance of metal echoing through the hall the second the blade met the soil. The next step of our battle remained reasonably vague to me. All that I can remember was the girl rushing at me in one second while in the next one I was on an frenziedly flight that only ended when I felt my whole body smashing against sturdy stone. Before I even had a chance to reconsider whatever had hit me, something firmly gripped onto my neck, lifting me to the point where I didn't feel my feet touching the ground beneath. The hold clawed through my trachea, slowly draining my breath. Looking down, I was coldly greeted with the violet eyes of the maniac girl sparking with rage. The choke was steady and my attempts to release from it did nothing but to increase the magnitude of her hand against my neck. My conscience was gradually fading away, my eyes and ears were both numb and overall I was inches away of my death; yet under those obnoxious circumstances, I could detect the sole order that would save my life.

"Stop!"

Talim's voice went sharper than the sharpest of blades. Perhaps it was my buzzed head that was working improperly, but the priestess's tone appear to hold a taint of imperativeness, a restraint gloominess that was unusual for her. At this point, my attacker lost interest in me and I had been turned into nothing more than a ragdoll as the girl disposed me away with no tenderness or understanding. She made clear I've made my tool playing as a toy but now I was broken.

My cranium collided violently beside the hard soil; the brutal shock made clear I was about for a trip to the land of slumber. Before I lost consciousness, three things I lastly heard. The first was the voice of the wild girl, claiming obscenities and cursing venomous words with rudeness I didn't found possible. The second was Talim's voice, soother and wiser, thoughtful of every word she declared. The last was not a voice at all, but the fusion of those two entities meeting in a clash of steel, indicating that another battle had been triggered.

I woke up with a loud and unbearable noise paining my ached head. Crawling through the ground, I spread my hand across the various corners of cobblestone requesting for White Storm. After blind searching, I finally felt the bladed tip brushing against my fingers. My head still dazed ceaselessly – the annoying hysterical sounds didn't help either. I got up from lying down position, but the lack in senses of my vision and audition still manifested pretty hard. I stumbled to what seemed two figures crouching. The berating became stronger and my vision turned cleaner. The only scar that I inherited out of the battle with the girl was stamped on my dignity, However, I was about to learn that my opponent had retained much deeper injuries.

It appears that the irritating garble was actually the wild's girl relieving a long, distressed crying. She had her face buried on Talim's shoulder as the priestess stroke her head affectively and with a tender smile. Her tears revealed to be huge, long and inelegant and she berated ceaselessly with ugliness - traits that didn't match a young lady like herself. As I gazed the situation with astonishment, I felt that I was being nothing more than a burden. I was being discarded and I felt sudden anger for the same girl that almost took my life that now was nothing more than a weeping witch who did not receive the compassion she deserved.

Talim was sudden aware of my presence and drove the girl's head off her own shoulder. She spoke soothing words before leaving her and then directed to me.

"So what happened now?" I inquired, my tone completely outraged.

"I'm afraid I'll have to tell you the real reason why we are her-"

"Don't." I interrupted her, feeling my rage overcoming me. "You're about to tell me we are due to your worries over this psychotic girl who you even don't know. Yet, you fail to see that are things much more important than being's sake."

"She was in great danger, Yun-Seong. That's what I saw on that day. Her. Crying miserably over the bodies she slashed. Do you think such thing deserves ignorance?"

"And what? You don't care of what lives you ruin in the way? What about Soul Edge? Where it is?"

"I'm afraid it was only an illusion."

Great. Apparently I wasn't only been taking for an ignorant but I also had been tricked into a fake lead.

"What? And you knew this?"

Long silence tensed the air

"Yes." She finally admitted.

"So the reason why we are here it's because of a deluded being? "

"Yun-Seong, please –"

"No, you now will listen to me. For a damn second, you'll listen to me now. I've been blindly following for nearly a year, trusting that you were leading us to a reasoning aim, yet you give attention to people who do not deserve it. Now we have to dwell in Europe for a good time, reasoning how to solve with that psychotic…" I had to bit my bottom lip to the point of bleeding to halt the word _bitch_ from slip.

Talim's tone started to manifest anger "Fine, maybe someone should teach you to have compassion of your surroundings."

"Compassion? We should just break her apart and rip in half to end her misery!"

Talim gave me a slap, the most reasonable action to halt my movements. It was probably the well-deserved gift I've been offered for a long time.

* * *

**As for this chapter, I can only say it sucks ass.**


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